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Copernicus is the European Union's Earth Observation Programme, looking at our planet and its environment for the ultimate benefit of all European citizens. It offers information services based on satellite Earth Observation and in situ (non-space) data. The Programme is coordinated and managed by the European Commission. It is implemented in partnership with the Member States, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), EU Agencies and Mercator Océan. Vast amounts of global data from satellites and from ground-based, airborne and seaborne measurement systems are being used to provide information to help service providers, public authorities and other international organisations improve the quality of life for the citizens of Europe. The information services provided are freely and openly accessible to its users.

Copernicus has been specifically designed to meet user requirements. Based on satellite and in situ observations, the Copernicus services deliver near-real-time data on a global level which can also be used for local and regional needs, to help us better understand our planet and sustainably manage the environment we live in. Copernicus is served by a set of dedicated (the Sentinel families) and contributing missions (existing commercial and public satellites). The Sentinel satellites are specifically designed to meet the needs of the Copernicus services and their users. Since the launch of Sentinel-1A in 2014, the European Union set in motion a process to place a constellation of almost 20 more satellites in orbit before 2030. Copernicus also collects information from in situ systems such as ground stations, which deliver data acquired by a multitude of sensors on the ground, at sea or in the air.

The Copernicus services transform this wealth of satellite and in situ data into value-added information by processing and analysing the data. Datasets stretching back for years and decades are made comparable and searchable, thus ensuring the monitoring of changes; patterns are examined and used to create better forecasts, for example, of the ocean and the atmosphere. Maps are created from imagery, features and anomalies are identified and statistical information is extracted. These value-adding activities are streamlined through six thematic streams of Copernicus services: Atmosphere (CAMS), Marine (CMEMS), Land (CLMS), Climate (C3S), Emergency (EMS), and Security.

The Copernicus Land Monitoring Service provides geographical information on land cover/land use and on variables related to vegetation state and the water cycle. It supports applications in a variety of domains, such as spatial planning, forest management, water management and agriculture and consists of the following four main components. It comprises five main components:

A Global Component, which provides a series of bio-geophysical products on the status and evolution of the land surface at global scale at mid and low spatial resolution,

a Pan European Component, which provides information about the land cover and land use (LC/LU), land cover and land use changes and land cover characteristics,

a Local Component, focuses on different hotspots, i.e. areas that are prone to specific environmental challenges and problems,

Reference Data, in situ data to ensure an efficient and effective use of Copernicus space-borne data,

and the Sentinel-2 Global Mosaic, which provides Analysis Ready surface reflectance composites at different spatial resolutions and temporal integration periods for the management of natural resources.

The Sentinel-2 Global Mosaic Consortium:

Three established companies have partnered to combine highest scientific quality with best user experience for the Sentinel-2 Global Mosaic service, each of them bringing in their specfic expertise from many years of operation in Earth Observation. Brockmann Consult is leading the consortium and responsible for the mosaicking algorithm, Sinergise contributes its experience in operating large-scale geopsatial solutions, and GeoVille ensures the quailty of the mosaic products.